Music-case.



PATENTBD AUG. 20, 1907.

J. W. R. BERWIGK.

MUSIC GASE.

urmonmn FILED 110mm.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

m 8 M U W .falzn mez'u/z'c ATTORNE rs PATENTED AUG. 20, 1907.

J. W. R. BERWIOK.

MUSIC CASE. APPLIOATION TILED NOV. 14. 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES:

INVENTOH Jaizn m. Berw'z'cfl A TTOHNE YS rm: KORE], nrr'sns c PATENTEDAUG. 20, 1907.

J. W. R. BERWIOK.

MUSIC CASE. Arr'nwulon FILED NOV.14. 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR 70/272 mfierwa'ck WITNESSES.

JOHN W. R. BERWIOK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MUSIC-CASE.

Specification of Letters Patent.-

Patented Aug. 20, 1907.

Application filed November 14, 1905. Serial No. 287,259.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. R. Bnnwren, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan,in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and ImprovedMusic-Case, of which the following .is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to music cases or music holders; the object ofthe invention is to produce a device of this class which is especiallyadapted for carrying sheet music in a convenient way, and which is soconstructed as to enable it to be opened out to place the music in anuprightposition on a music rack.

The invention consists in the construction and combin-ation of parts tobe more fully described hereinafter and definitely set forth in theclaims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective of the music case or music holder showing thesame in a closed position, adapting the case to be held in the hand;Fig. 2 is a perspective of the music case showing the same in an openposition, the parts of the case being here shown in the relation whichthey assume when the music holder is to be supported on a rack to enablethe music to be read; Fig. 3 is an elevation or face view of the upperedge of the music case showing the same in its open position andillustrating especially the construction of the joint which constitutesa feature of the invention; Fig. 4 is a plan or edge view of the upperend of the music case illustrated in Fig. 3, and showing the parts inthe same relation; Fig. 5 is a plan or edge view similar to Fig. 4 butrepresenting the music case in a partly folded condition so as toindicate the manner in which the joint is broken; Fig. 6 is an elevationor front view of a portion of the music case and illustratingespecially, the means for securing sheet music to the music case; Fig. 7is across section taken on the line 77 of Fig. 6; and Fig. 8 is asection taken longitudinally of a music folio, illustrating the mannerof attaching devices to the same which facilitate the attachment of themusic in the music case.

Referring more particularly to the parts, 1 represents the body of themusic case which when closed as indicated in Fig. 1 presentssubstantially the appearance of a small hand satchel, the said bodybeing provided with a suitable handle.

The body 1 is composed of two sides or leaves 3 and 4 covered withsuitable material or fabric and connected together with joints 5 and 6arranged at the ends of the case as shown most clearly in Fig. 2. Atthe'upper edge of the case as viewed in Fig. 2 is provided an upper rail7 which is formed in sections 8 and 9. At the lowerextremity of the caseas viewed in Fig. 2 is provided a similar lower rail 10 the same beingformed of sections 11 and 12. These rails are preferably formed of woodand have their greatest width adjacent to the joints 5 and 6. The entiredevice is provided with a suitable cover 13, portions of which cover theaforesaid leaves 3 and 4. The portion 14 connecting the said leavesconstitutes the back. This cover at one side is formed with an extendingflap 15 which is adapted to over-lap the edge of the opposite leaf in'amanner which is common in hand satchels, and this flap is provided withprojecting tongues 16 which have buttons which cooperate with sockets,one of which is shown at 17.

The rails 8, 9, l1 and 12 are preferably of greatest width near thejoints 5 and 6 and taper toward their outer extremities. In the upperedges of these rails as viewed in Fig. 2, elongated slots 18 and 19 areformed as indicated most clearly in Fig. 3. At the adjacent edges of theleaves3 and 4, plates 20 and 21 are attached, same being secured bypivot pins 22 to the hinge plates 23 which attach to the rail section asindicated most clearly in Fig. 4; These connecting plates 20 and 21 areattached opposite the slots 18 and l9 and are adapted to fold into thesame when the case is in its folded condition shown in Fig. 1. It shouldbe understood that these slots 18 and 19 are of great depth andextendfrom the upper edges of the rails to points near the rear edges thereof.The plates 20 and 21 are substantially rectangular in form, preferably;however, each plate tapers toward its outer edge 24 and these outeredges are preferably curved convexly at substantially the central pointin the edge 24; each of the plates 20 and 2]. is provided with a notchor recess 25, the purpose of which will appear more clearly hereinafter.

By reason of the construction just described a joint is formed betweenthe leaves 3 and 4 which enables the device to be opened or closed aswill be readily understood.

In 0 der to enable the leaves to be locked in an open or extendedposition, as shown in'Fig. 4, locking bars 26 and 26 are provided inconnection with the joints 5 and 6. These locking bars are formed insections or links 27'and 28, which are pivoted at 29 to the rails andare pivoted together by means of a pin 30, as indicated most clearly inFig. 3. The adjacent extremities of the links 27 and 28 are maintainedapart by means of a thimble or distance piece 31. At each joint thelinks 27 and 28 are disposed on opposite sides of the correspondingconnecting plate 20 and 21, so that when the music case is opened outthe joint connection at 30 between the links may be forced down into thenotch 25 of the plate. The extended and locked relation referred to isfully illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. When it is desired to close the casethe links 27 and 28 will be pulled upwardly and away from the plates 20and 21;

in this way the joint is broken and the leaves 3 and 4 may be foldedtogether.

In order to enable the adjacent edges 32 of the rail section to cometogether closely, the inner edges of the rails are provided withlongitudinal slots 33 which receive the aforesaid links 27 and 28 aswill be readily understood, and these recesses preferably extend to theinner extremities of the rails so as to enable the links to seatthemselves in the manner shown in Fig. 4, when the device is in an openposition. Near the outer extremities of the slots 33 I provideenlargements or recesses 33 which are formed on opposite sides of theslots of the rails and when these slots come together they form a spacefor the joints of the links and the distance pieces 31.

Referring especially to Fig. 4 it will be seen that when the links 27and 28 are pushed inwardly the pin 30 will have moved beyond thestraight line joining the points 29 so that locking of the jointsoccurs. Evidently with this arrangement, if it were attempted to foldthe leaves together without displacing the links, a binding action wouldtake place at plates 20 and 21 so that the links 27 and 28 would operateto prevent any movement of the parts.

I'provide holding devices 34 which are preferably disposed at the edgeof the leaf 3, the purpose of which is to secure sheets of music to thecase. The position of the edges of these sheets or music folios isindicated by the dotted lines 35, 36 in Fig. 2. In order to adapt themusic for being held by these devices 34, I prefer to at tach papertongues 37 to the music folios 38, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 8.These tongues are substantially rectangular extensions formed upon abody 39, and these bodies are adapted to be pasted or attached in anyother suitable manner to the central sheet 40 or pages of the musicfolio. The cover of the folio, which is usually a folded sheet, isformed with an opening 41 through the folded edge or back thereof andthrough this opening the tongue 37 is passed. In order to attach thetongue 37 for holding the inner sheet 40 within the folio, I provide thesame with laterally projecting wings 42, adapted to be folded on theside edge lines 43 of the tongues. When the tongue is to be thrustthrough the opening, these wings will be folded upon the tongue, afterwhich they are opened out as indicated in Fig. 8 so as to prevent thetongue from being Withdrawn. I prefer to form the bodies 39 of thetongue substantially in the form shown so that they present lateralextensions 44; these extensions reinforcing the rear edge of the sheetto which they are attached and preventing the music from being tornasunder.

It should be understood that the tongues 37 are adapted to be held inthe devices 34; the construction of one of these devices will now bedescribed. It ispreferably formed of sheet metal bent so as to produce abase plate 45 attached to the inner surface of the leaf 3; this baseplate presents a back or plate 46 which projects upwardly from the leafas indicated in Fig. 7. The edges of the base plate 45 are turnedupwardly so as to project at right-angles to the leaf 3 and so as toconstitute wings 47, connected by a transverse bolt or pin 48 upon whichthere is pivotally mounted a clamping plate 49. A spring 50, disposedaround the pin 48, thrusts against the under side of this clamping plateand tends to raise the same as will be readily understood. The inneredges of the wings 47 are circumferential in form and disposed about theaxis of the pin 48 as a center, and they are provided with downwardlyprojecting teeth 50. On the upper face of the clamping plate 49 a pairof levers 51 are pivotally attached at 52 and the extremities of theselevels project beyond the side edges of the clamping plate as indicatedmost clearly in Fig. 6. The outer edges of these levers are adapted toengage the teeth 50 so as to enable the levers to hold the clampingplate in a depressed position. The outer extremities of the levers arepreferably turned upward as at 53, so as to facilitate the operation ofthe levels by the thumb and forefinger. The side edges of the clampingplate 49 are preferably formed with notches 54 and the levers 51 areprovidcd with downwardly projecting nibs 55 which are disposed in thesenotches. By this arrangement it should be understood that the notches 54limit the movement of the lovers, giving them however, suflicientmovement to enable them to release themselves from the teeth 50. On theunder side of the locking plate 49 a button or boss 56 is provided atwhich leaf springs 57 are attached, said springs extending in oppositedirections and engaging respectively with the forward faces of the nibs55. From this arrangement it should be understood that the springs 57normally operate to maintain the levers in engagement with the notches,but by pressing the levers toward each other they may be released. Uponthe under face of the clamping plate 49 is provided a resilient plate 58which is rigidly attached as shown, and the body of which is disposed inan inclined position with respect to the plate 49. In this way theforward edge of the resilient spring plate 58 is disposed below theforward edge of the plate 49.

It should be understood that a number of music folios may be placed inthe music case and the tongues 37 thereof indicated by the dotted linesin Fig. 7, arranged so that they are received in the aforesaid holdingdevice 34 and under the clamping plates 49. Evidently by forcing theclamping plates 49 down against the tongues 37 the spring plates 58 willoperate to hold the device securely. With the music folios held in thismanner the music case may be evidently readily opened and closed, assuggested above. Furthermore, any sheet of music may be readily removedand re placed by an other. The spring plates 58 referred to above enablethe holding devices 34 to adapt themselves to circumstances, so that agreater or less number of music folios may be held with equal facilityand equal security.

The spring-plates 58 are especially useful, however, because they insurea good pressure to hold the music thus; if they were absent it might bethat at a certain tooth the levers 51 would hold the music too looselyand yet it would be impossible to force them to the next tooth to holdthe same more tightly. I11 this way the spring-plates provide adesirable resiliency.

When the device is opened out as indicated in Fig. 2 it may be set up ona music rack so as to enable the music to be readily seen and turnedover by the musician. When it is desired to fold the case up it is onlynecessary to pull up the joints between the links 27 and 28, enablingthe leaves 3 and4 to be folded together. The music folios will then bedoubled or folded at the back 14 of the case and in no way interferewith closing ec ipse 3 the same. When the case is closed it presents aneat appearance such as that shown in Fig. 1 and is admirably adapted tobe carried in ones hand, like a hand satchel or bag.

While the invention has been described in the form of a portable musiccase, many of its features are adapted for use in connection with musicstands or cabinets. The folding case is also useful as a sample case forsheet music, records or the like. And it should be under stood that theinvention is not confined in use to music but could be used in theconstruction of other cases for different articles.

Special attention is called to the possibility of removing readily anypiece of music held in the case Without necessitating the removal of theothers.

It will also be seen that the order. of arrangement of the music may bequickly changed if desired.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. A music case, comprising a pair of jointed leaves,adapted to fold together, in combination with means for locking saidleaves in substantial alinement in an extended position.

2. In a music case in combination, a pair of leaves adapted to foldtogether, means for locking said leaves in alinement in an extendedposition, and holding devices for attaching music folios within saidholder.

3. In a music case in combination, a pair of leaves, plates jointed tosaid leaves and connecting the same, locking bars cooperating with saidleaves and in engagement with said plates to maintain said leaves in anextended position.

4. In a music case, in combination, a pair of leaves, a flexible backconnecting said leaves, rail sections attached at the edges of saidleaves and projecting outwardly therefrom, joints connecting said railsections, and means for locking said leaves rigidly in alinement at saidjoints.

5. In a music case in combination, a pair of leaves, having railextensions on the edges thereof, joint plates connecting said railextensions, locking-bars attached to said rails, and means whereby saidlocking-bars may engage said plates, to lock said leaves in substantialalinement in an extended position.

6. In a music case in combination, a pair of leaves, having rails at theedges thereof, plates jointed to said rails connecting said leaves andhaving notches in the etges thereof, and links jointed to said rolls andhaving joints adapted to be depressed into said notches.

7. In a music case in combination, a pair of leaves having railsattached to the edges thereof, plates jointed to said rails havingnotches in the upper edges thereof, links pivoted near the upper edgesof said rails and dis; posed on opposite sides of said plates, anddistance pieces separating the connected extremities of said links andadapted to be received in said notches.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN W. R. BERWICK.

Witnesses JNO. M. BITTER, F. D. AMMEN.

